1. Field of the Invention
A terminal block connecting apparatus includes first and second support members displaceable from a disengaged condition toward an engaged condition in which corresponding main terminal blocks are brought into electrical engagement, characterized by the provision of first and second test terminal blocks connected with the support members for electrical engagement when the first and second support members are in an intermediate condition between the disengaged and engaged conditions. Carrier means support one of the test terminal blocks for displacement relative to the associated support member, whereby the test terminal blocks remain in electrical engagement during displacement of the support members between the intermediate test condition and the final connected condition. Friction retaining means serve to resist displacement of the carrier member relative to its associated support member.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the patented prior art to provide electrical switching and connecting arrangements, such as in the field of emergency power supplies, to connect and disconnect electrical power contacts. In this operation, an additional equipment segment with corresponding power contacts is pushed upon a basic equipment segment with first power contacts. It is known that along with the power contacts, one can connect additional contacts with each other on the equipment segments, which already contact each other in a test position before there is any pushing of the equipment segment into the final engaged position in which the power contacts are also connected with each other. In this way, before reaching the final engaged position, one can already perform tests, for example, to check functions of the equipment segments that are to be connected with each other. In the broadest sense, the invention relates to the area of connecting the additional contacts upon equipment segments that are to be connected with each other by means of suitable switch gears. It is, for example, conceivable that one of the contacts to be connected with each other is fashioned in the form of a sliding contact in which the other contact can be moved out of a first position—the test position—in a sliding manner all the way into the final engaged position (in which the power contacts are connected with each other).
Such switch gears are known from the state of the art. But their structure is often relatively complicated. Besides, the known designs are not always fully functionally reliable.
Against this background, the present invention was developed to provide a switch gear that has a simple design and nevertheless a particularly stable structure by means of which, also in case of strong forces to be included in the wiring, one can reliably and easily attain the required test position as well as the final connected position.
Accordingly, the switch gear has at least one separable locking device for the purpose of locking the switch gear in the first position on the support collar of the electrical appliance, which is so designed that the locked position can be separated only by the shifting of the switch gear by overcoming a friction force between elements of the locking device.
The switch gear of the present invention has a simple structure and can therefore be made at reasonable cost. The locking device is so structured that, first of all, one attains a clearly recognizable locking position. Either in this position or shortly thereafter, one reaches the test position to perform tests. The engaged or “connect position” can be attained only by further insertion with a stronger insertion force. The switch gear can also absorb very strong forces without any further trouble.